Saved
by Etaleah
Summary: He'd known all along that fixing Lucifer's mess would be dangerous. He just didn't know how dangerous. CONCRIT NEEDED


**Constructive criticism is most definitely needed! Please review!**

When I stepped off the cloud onto the outskirts of Christville, I was still getting used to being back in a body and on the job. Father had said it was high time I got down there again, and I knew He was right, but Christville was a different kind of crazy; the kind we'd seen Lucifer actually take part in rather than sit back and watch. I'd stayed home working on my sermon as long as possible, but when He'd sent Gabriel to "suggest" that I get going, seeing as the sun was about to rise on Easter Sunday, I knew I had to.

Now he "suggested" a small sword. "You might need this." I took it from him and threw it into the woods. Gabriel stiffened. "You do remember that a _child _was killed in the _church _just because he didn't bring his Bible?"

"I saw it for myself."

He sighed. "As you wish, my Lord." He gestured to my hands and feet and retrieved a red hoodie from under his white sash. "Just please make sure to cover up those scars. It's all over if they recognize you before they get to church."

I took the hoodie, yanked it over my head, and tugged the sleeves over my wrists. The jeans, socks and sneakers would suffice for my feet. I shoved my ponytail to the back of my head.

"Ironic that I'm doing this on Easter, isn't it?" I asked, mainly to postpone Gabriel's departure.

He shrugged. "There wasn't much choice. It's the only time the whole town will be in church. They don't even let women out of the house for Christmas."

I swallowed. "I'm not looking forward to this. I still have nightmares about last time. "

"But you did it."

I wrapped my arms around myself. "I don't think I could ever do that again."

Gabriel patted my shoulder and hopped back on the cloud without looking at me. "You'll be fine. Just get to the church and wait for them to come. Then you'll talk some sense into them and the rest will take care of itself," he said as he disappeared.

* * *

><p>I had just hopped the fence into town- a tricky feat when you're not used to having legs- and was passing a weeping willow when I stopped. Turned. The first morning star was unnaturally bright, the temperature had just dropped at least ten degrees, and my body was tensing, just like it had when-<p>

"Look who finally decided to clean up His mess."

If I hadn't known better, I'd have thought the boy leaning against the tree was young, sweet looking, and too small to be a threat. His dark hair had actually been combed for once so that it clashed nicely with his pale skin and fell over his right eye. He was thin and little more than half my height, but even in the dark it was easy to spot the pistol bulging in the back pocket of his jeans.

Lucifer pushed himself away from the tree and strolled over to me. He'd picked a good costume; aside from the pistol, the only distinguishing features that proved he wasn't a teenager were his deep, dark eyes and his curled grin.

"Come to relive history, Junior?" Even his voice was high; he hadn't missed anything.

"You shouldn't be so cocky. I'll have them back on my side by tomorrow night."

Lucifer threw back his head and laughed, a high-pitched giggle that was too juvenile for comfort. "Ah, but there's the problem. They think they already _are _on your side!" He clapped his hands. "It's rich. Really, it is."

"If you think my Father will let you interfere-"

"I'm not _going _to interfere. I don't need to. Though I _will _suggest you take a peek at the church." His eyes twinkled. "There's something there I'm sure you'll _love _to see."

_Did he plant a trap there? _It didn't matter. Better to show him I wasn't afraid.

I held my head high. "I'm already on my way."

* * *

><p>The sorry excuses for buildings lined the street way too neatly, all of them displaying crosses. American flags had been torn from the poles. The Christian flag had been modified so the red cross took up nearly the entire design; the blue background was gone and the red glowed under every streetlight. The church was planted at the center of town, with a cross rising so high into the air, the sharp tip could have punctured the sky.<p>

I kept my eyes on the ground. Unfortunately Lucifer had insisted on tagging along and I couldn't waste too much time trying to get rid of him. We passed a Bible repair shop, the cross-burning fields, the baptism fountains, and statues whose faces resembled Lucifer's more closely than mine, which he gladly pointed out in his commentary of the town.

"'Course I _wanted_ this place to have a bar," he said. "It would have been nice to have _one _fun thing, but alcohol would have ruined the authenticity. I want you to see _exactly _what you and your Father have caused."

I took my notes out of my pocket and strained to read them in the dark.

"You did this, you know. _Your_ laws and religions caused all of this."

I had considered trying to conjure up a flashlight when Lucifer grabbed my shoulder with a growl. "Hey! I'm _talking _to you!"

I brushed off my shoulder. "What do you _want_, Lucifer? You've spent more than enough time here already."

"And you're telling me Daddy hasn't decided to smite His own creations yet?"

_Do not take that bait. _"Don't play dumb. You know I have a strong belief in second chances. Why else would you try so hard to get me to come here and fix it?" I straightened up to my full height, looked down at him, and spoke in my most condescending tone. "That much was obvious as soon as you began pulling strings in the US government. You just want attention, you always do."

He swore and reached for his pistol, but a boom of thunder made him stop. He took his hand away and the thunder faded.

"It doesn't matter. Nothing you say will get through to them," he said, crossing his arms. "Sonny, this town is some of my finest work. Every extremist in the country in one place, and all I had to do was arrange a crackdown on religious anarchy."

I shook my head and walked on. He still didn't leave. "You're only sealing your own terrible fate."

"With your help." He reached into his pocket and retrieved a small Bible. "I couldn't have done it without this." He slapped me on the back and I wiped it off. "Sonny, you gave me everything I needed. You can try and blame me if you like, but really, you're just deflecting responsibility."

"Go away!" I kept my hands in my pockets to keep from shoving him. _That's what he wants. _"And stay out of my way until I'm done here."

"What the hell are you doing here now? The Easter service doesn't start for another hour or so."

"Because my Father has commanded me to be here now, to get used to my body and to prepare."

"Oh, well if He's _commanded _you- wait a minute!" He stopped in his tracks and his jaw dropped. I did a double take.

The church had foregone stained glass windows in favor of crosses so numerous they completely covered the walls. I shivered and closed my eyes. I wouldn't give Lucifer the satisfaction of a flashback. I needn't have worried though; his mind was on something else.

"Wh- where are they? Where the _hell _are they?" he was shouting now, gesturing wildly.

"Are you kidding? The sun isn't even up yet, they're all asleep-"

"Not them! The vendors! The guys were supposed to dress up as vendors and be set up right here so you'd-" I raised my eyebrows and Lucifer stamped his foot when he realized what he'd given away. "Unbelievable! I _specifically_ told them to be here when you showed up."

"Well, it's lucky for you they didn't listen." My hands were shaking. The urge, the _need _to throw and break something was back again, fresh as if the incident had happened yesterday. _Don't ever do that again. _I squeezed my eyes shut. The memory of His reprimand was just as fresh.

Lucifer cocked his head. "Why's that? 'Fraid of losing control again? You're not going to chase me around with a whip, are you?"

I rolled my eyes and turned around. "You said you wouldn't interfere."

"I don't have to." His voice was touching my ear and a chill shot through my spine. "You think they won't have a million questions and cruel pleasures of their own? When you reveal yourself in that church, they'll make sure you relive the experience. Detail by painful detail."

I tightened my fists. Started for the church, feeling my stomach turn at the crosses. I reached for the door.

"_Nothing but the blood of Jesus!" _I froze. The voice was close. And familiar.

I glared at Lucifer "You brought Pastor Absalom here?" I hissed.

Lucifer scoffed. "Are you kidding? My _demons _couldn't even be bothered to follow my directions." He crossed his arms and smirked. "I'll just watch what happens."

Absalom came into view, just under the bright star. His eyes were soulless and he clutched a blade. I tried to make my feet move. _Though it wouldn't be a bad idea to start with him, since he's the driving force behind this town, other than Lucifer._

Absalom's stumbling was surprisingly fast. It wasn't hard to see the blade in his hand, flashing as he moved. When he sang, it was loud and desperate.

_What can wash away my sin?_

_Nothing but the blood of Jesus;_

_What can make me whole again?_

_Nothing but the blood of Jesus. _

_Nothing can for sin atone,_

_Nothing but the blood of Jesus_

_Nothing but the blood of Jesus_

_Nothing but the blood of Jesus…_

Lucifer grinned, and the star lit up even brighter than the moon. Absalom clutched a cross in his other hand and thrust it out as he ran.

"Stop!" My voice was shriller than I meant it to be and my hand grabbed his wrist. He shouted and twisted- and stopped. Stared. Shook.

It took me a minute to notice the sleeve of my hoodie had slipped. The starlight shone right through the hole, clear as day.

"You…you…" Absalom's tone bordered on hysterics. His eyes nearly bulged out of his head.

I yanked down my sleeve and tried to keep my heart out of my throat. "Yes, it's me, Jesus. I'm back. Now I need you to listen-"

"The lamb of God!" he screeched.

I held up my hands. "Yes, yes, that's me. Now listen, I-"

"Only by the blood of the lamb are we saved!" He raised his blade. It was thin as a nail and just as sharp.

I ran.

* * *

><p>Absalom's singing was getting louder and his tone more begging. I knew better than to assume any of the buildings would be unlocked, and of course Lucifer was too smart to situate this town near the ocean. I cut through the cross-burning fields, banking on the fact that the outside of Christville was considered unholy.<p>

"Please save us, oh lamb of God!" Absalom's voice was fainter, and I ducked under the nearest tree to catch my breath.

"When was the last time you ran away from a murderer?" Lucifer was so close I almost screamed.

"Don't do that!" I whispered. "If you're going to look like a human, you could at least have the decency to move like one!"

"I have the decency to offer you this." He held out his hand. In its grip was the pistol.

I shook my head.

"You know you want to use it." He nodded his head to the song, which was increasing in volume. "Absa-crazy over there is hell-bent on saving himself." He handed it back.

"This may be the only thing that saves you from dying a second time."

"My Father would never let that happen." He smirked at my trembling and I began to fight dirty. "You're under the mistaken impression that just because He was smart enough to get rid of _you_-"

"He didn't get rid of me! I left." Now he was trembling. "He could never have _made _me leave. Look what I've been able to do to His children! He couldn't even stop me," he said with a satisfied nod.

I shook my head with a smile and made a _tsk_ sound. "Poor little Lucy. Jealous because Daddy didn't love hi-."

I didn't even finish before his hand was around my neck and my back crashed into the tree. "Take that back."

I started giggling, or would have if I'd been able to breathe. He put the gun to my head. "Take. It. _Back!_"

"Nothing but blood!" Lucifer turned as Absalom ran across the field, waving his knife.

"See you in Hell," he hissed. "He's over here, Absalom!" Then he let go and was gone before I hit the ground.

"The blood of Christ! I will eat from the body and drink from the blood of Christ!" Absalom's pounding steps were getting louder and quicker. The sun peeked over the hills and shined just brightly enough for me to see the glaze of his eyes. His fist pulsed with strong, dark veins, just like Lucifer's had not a moment ago.

The field had no buildings; the closest one looked to be a half-mile away. I looked back and noticed the light catch the cross. I wanted to throw up. I almost did.

I pushed my hands against the ground to stand myself up, and a cold metal brushed my palm. I started and looked closer. Lucifer had left his gun behind.

I was now in Absalom's shadow. Spittle flew from his mouth. His cross was thrust forward like a weapon.

My fingers curled around the gun.

**Author's Note: **The song/hymn is written by Robert Lowry and I claim no ownership. I wasn't sure if I was required to give credit or not since it's public domain, and couldn't figure out a way to work his name into the story.


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